Brighthand: T-Mobile May Be Rolling Out UMA Service Next Month

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=12396' target='_blank'>http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=12396</a><br /><br /></div><i>"According to an unconfirmed report, T-Mobile USA is going begin offering UMA service soon. UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) lets devices make use of cellular networks through short-range wireless technologies, including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi... The down side of this service is it will require a special Wi-Fi router and a phone that supports UMA... Reportedly, this carrier will begin offering UMA service on September 12 in Seattle and a second city, as yet unknown, city."</i><br /><br />A few weeks ago, we <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=50341">posted</a> on an Engadget Mobile article that previewed upcoming UMA hardware for T-Mobile. Well, for those of us looking forward to the future, it appears that UMA may finally debut as soon as next month (for a couple of cities at least). While it will take a while before we see full coverage and a wide selection of UMA-capable phone devices, this would definitely be a positive first step from the viewpoint of us T-Mobile users!

[Eriq Cook]

Yep, we'll be seeing them soon--speaking from personal exp. I can't wait til we see an MDA w/UMA &amp; GPS, though...

[beq]

What will be better a couple of years from now -- a cellular + Wi-Fi phone, or a cellular + WiMax phone (or a phone with all three)?

If other carriers follow Sprint in adopting WiMax as 4G, will Wi-Fi-based UMA become moot?

I assume there will also be independent public WiMax hotspots (some free)??

[ADBrown]

What will be better a couple of years from now -- a cellular + Wi-Fi phone, or a cellular + WiMax phone (or a phone with all three)?

You're assuming that cellular will be in the picture at all in a couple of years, and you won't be looking at pure WiFi/WiMax VoIP devices... :devilboy:

[ctmagnus]

You're assuming that cellular will be in the picture at all in a couple of years, and you won't be looking at pure WiFi/WiMax VoIP devices... :devilboy:

Yeah, but some of us still live in the boonies. :(

[ADBrown]

Yeah, but some of us still live in the boonies. :(

So do I, and we only recently got GSM out here, but I can dream can't I?